Straight bar knitting machine for production of run-resistant knitted fabric



April 15, 1952 1.. BROWN ETAL 'STRAIGHTBAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC v l5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. '12, 1948 Inbenlon mwjrmwm' April 15, 1952 BROWN ErAL' v 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC ,E'iled Aug. 12, '1948 l5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gF/ci/d,

I nvenloq 4.2.;M 4MwgM-w W I Aprll 15, 1952 L. BROWN ETAL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 15, 1952 BROWN 'ETAL 2,593,006

KNITTING MACHINE FOR PR STRAIGHT BAR CTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABR Filed Aug. 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aprll 1 952 BROWN ET AL 2,593,006

I STRAIG BAR TTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION RUN- RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aprll 15, 1952 BROWN r L 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION v 0? RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 '15 Sheets-SheetG Apnl 15, 1952 L. BROWN EI'AL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 April 15, 1952 BROWN ETAL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC l5 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 12, 1948 Inventor! April 15, 1952 BROWN ETAL 2,593,006 STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT 'KNITTIED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 I Inventor-t A nl I5, 1952 BROWN ETAL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 l5 Sheets-Sheet 10 A ril 15, 1952 L. BROWN ETAL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 52 4 I52 402 62 I63 I57 59 50 I62 0/51 473, 6o

April 15, 1952 BROWN ETAL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR-KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, I948 15 Sheet-Sheet 12 and: 2mm alu a i z fc m Aprll 1952 BROWN EI'AL ,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION v OF RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug. 12, 1948 I 15 Sheets-Sheet 1s /52 2 l 6 l6 l5? Inventor! wem mamgign.

)udadgfm April 15, 1952 BROWN ET AL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION 0F RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC v Filed Aug. 12, 1948 l5 Sheets-Sheet l4 VII MKLWW 9 l r Inventor April 15, 1952 L. BROWN ETAL 2,593,006

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE FOR PRODUCTION 0F RUN-RESISTANT KNITTED FABRIC Filed Aug 12, 1948 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 EEEE-L NON WON

Patented Apr. 15, 1952 UNITED PATENT iOlF'FllCE STRAIGHT JBAR- ;KNITTING MACHINE WFOR PRODUCTION OF RUN-RESIST- ..ANTrKNITTED FABRIC I Leonard Brown-an'd John Edward LynamplMap- 1. -perley,i "England,xiassignors. to William Cotton :1 Limited; .Leice'stershire, England mApplication August 12 1948; Serial 'No. 43,834 'In" Great'Britain August 22, 1947 13:01aims.

This inventioncncerns Cott0ns patent-and other straighti barknitting machines for the pro- "duction of -run-resistant iabricsuchras 'is- -described in British-Patent Specifications Nos. "329,098, 360,444, 460,184; 463,613, 464;018;"4'75, 965, 4811279 and-527,234. A characteristicof thi'sfab- -'ric is that-one loop ispassed-through and closely around-"another sothatthe legs of-the-latter are ,encircledgby coils of theformer; Toproduce this effect, afteratground loop has been-formed on a needle; a locking-lopp is formed on 'thatneedle, is-passed throughrthe ground loop, and-- is then cast ofi-over the'ground loop 'whichis still -reitained bythe nee'dle. "Various ,methods--of-'and mechanisms"for producing this 'fabric; are-set out 1 disadvan age insofar as speed'of fabricproduction is concerned, compared with a machine for producing plain fabric. This 'will'readily be ap- -=preciated when it is-pointed out that toproduce a single course of fabric the needles and other knitting e-lementsfirst go through a sequence of substantially normal knitting-motions in themeduction of a courseof ground 'loop s, and then I go through asequence of completely different'and more involved motions in the "productionof- 1 the l locking loops between successive-sequences the -appropriate thread carrier must make= its traverse. I The. two sequences might :be produced by 1 eguipping the machine with-two setsof cams; viz ground loop cams and locking oams, and-by shogging either the camshaft or the-cam trucks to .formsof shoggingewouldroccupy aiperiodx'of time agatzthezendzof; each sequence and would render it :enecessary.ltorprovide; each ground. 100p cam and 1 ital-associated glockingrcam with an;idle..arcuate portionzof :ccnstantiand:equalzcurvaturarat which miathelishoggingfi takes place; and .ther;camsashaftzdegrees devoted to this idleportion could-be better employed. Finally either form of shogging would :unduly complicate the machine and especially a stocking frame in view of the'necessityof; shogging the cam shaft periodically for fashioning.

The chief object of thepresent inventiomis to obviate the necessity for shogg-ing afterzeach se- 'quence of motions and ,to: efiect improvements leading toa higher rate :of fabric. production.

According to the present: inventionta Cotto-ns patent or other straightrbam knittingwmachine organised for the pro'ductionof: run-resistant. fabric of the kind referredtotis providedwith cams each having a portion o-fitsperiphery laid out to produce thesequence of knitting motions .andianother portion of its periphery 'laidout to; produce the sequence of locking motions, and-with a followerfor each cam, whereby a single revolution of each cam produces cneWsequence afterthe other Without shogging. Ingeneral itcwillalso be necessary to provide, between the two sa-idportions, substantially idle portions to accommodate the carrier traverses.

It will'rea'dily be appreciated that the foregoing arrangement relieves themachine offactors that would otherwise tend to limit its speed while knitting locked fabric. If,- -however, the: machine is also to be'capable of-producing-at=will a succession of plain courses (i. e. unlocked courses) it is to be provided with a set :of plain knitting cams also, to'which the machine may be changed over at the appropriatetimeand forthe desired number of courses. This change over is efiected by shogging either the camsh'aft or the trucks or other cam followers (preferably the shaft) but in this instancethe shogging is nodisadvantage because it isonly effected. at widely spaced intervals and not at every course and the output of the machine while knitting plain fabric is greater than while knitting locked fabric. For example it may be desirable to knit the welt ofthe fashioned blank for aladys stocking of plain fabric because of the increase in productiongthat-results, it' being unnecessaryto knit .the welt of locked fabric because in general itris' knitted of yarn that is ,notprone: to;1adders. In such; a. case i the machine will changeover the .plain cams for i the welt andbackto the double purpose camsat the end of the welt.

Unless arrangements are made for; changing the gear ratio between the-l mainzcamshaftand the draw cam or .cams at the changeiovenleach of the plainknittingcamswillhave,twdidentical opposed portions each laid out to produce ase- -q-uencecf plain knitting: motions;1with;.--the result that one cam shaft revolution produces two plain courses. In normal straight bar knitting machines, the draw cam runs at half the speed of the main cam shaft. In a machine according to the present invention, if successive draws are to be made in opposite directions the draw cam must be run at cam shaft speed. That would necessitate the locking loops being made of the same thread as the ground loops. Such an arrangement is not excluded, but it is preferred so to arrange matters that the locking thread is different result that every second course is knitted of one and the same thread and all the intervening courses are knitted of another thread. On the other hand, if one draw cam is put out of operation a single main carrier may be employed traversing, in the usual manner, in one direction for one course and in the opposite direction for the next (or, in the alternative the known three-carriers system may be employed) The present invention is primarily concerned with a machine operating substantially bythe method described in British Patent Specification No. 527,234 with reference to Figures 18 to 26 thereof, and to the machine and improved method described in the specification of patent application Ser. No. 24,354. r

The above and other features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims and are disclosed in the detailed description, given by way of example of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1 and 1a show a general cross sectional view of a Cottons patent machine according to this invention.

Figure 2 is a somewhat diagrammatical front view on a smaller scale of Figure 1 illustrating one division of the machine.

Figure 3 is a View of one needle bar and associated mechanism for actuating it.

Figure 4 is a view of the other needle bar and its associated actuating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a view of Figures 3 and 4 combined.

Figure 6 is a view of a catch bar and its associated actuating mechanism.

Figure 7 is a view of mechanism for actuating knocking over bits.

Figure 8 is a view of mechanism for actuating jack springs.

Figure 9 is a view of mechanism for actuating an auxiliary presser.

Figures 10 to 21 illustrate various steps in the movements of needles, sinkers and knocking over bits in the production of ladder-resistant fabric of the type referred to.

Figures 22 and 22a show a detail front eleva-- tional view of part of the said machine. 7 Figure 23 is a plan view of Figure 22.

Figure 24 is an enlargement of part of Figure 23, and

Figure 25 is a cross sectional view of Figure 24.

Figure 26 is a scrap view looking in the direction of the arrow X in Figure 5 illustrating mechanism for actuating both needle bars.

Figure 27 is a diagrammatical illustration showing the. arrangement of slur cooks for a. multi-division machine.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2, 10 to 21, it will be seen that there is provided a set of upper needles I, of the customary bearded type, a set of lower needles 2 also of the customary bearded type, customary sinkers 3 and knocking over bits 4. For the purpose of producing ladder-resistant fabric of the type referred to by means of these instruments they are arranged to be manipulated as illustrated in Figures 10 to 21. Of these figures, Figure 10 illustrates a stage whereat the normal draw has taken place so as to sink a new yarn a around and between the shanks of needles I at a level above the beards of needles 2. The last knitted loops of the fabric are indicated at b. Following this stage the needles I are lowered in the customary manner as shown in Figure 11 so that the beards of the needles I are pressed by presser 6, and the new loops a are drawn through the old loops b as shown in Figure 12. Both sets of needles then commence to rise again and as shown in Figure 13 the needles 2 are pressed by an auxiliary presser 5 in such manner that their tips are buried in grooves in the needles I, the result being (as shown in Figure 14) that the last formed loops a are pierced by the needles 2. Figure 15 illustrates the next draw whereat a new yarn c is sunk around the shanks of both needles I and 2. Both sets of needles are next lowered and during such movement as shown in Figure 16, the beards of the needles 2 are pressed by the customary presser 6 at a stage whereat the points of their beards are disposed between the new loops 0 and the old loops a but the said old loops a instead of being cast off the needles altogether are knocked over onto the shanks of the needles I. Both sets of needles now rise, Figure 18, with the old loops a round the shanks of the needles I and the new loops 0 disposed around both the shanks of the needles I and of the needles 2. As shown in Figure 19 the needles next descend and during the said movement the beards of the needles 2 are pressed by the said presser 6, the result beingas shown in Figure 20 that the new loops 0 are cast off the needles 2 and are received on the beards of the needles I. The needles next further descend in such manner that the new loops 0 are knocked over the needles I (Figure 21) while the old loops at are still retained in the beards of needles I. The result of this sequence of operations is that the loops a which constitute ground loops are locked by the loops 0 which constitute locking loops and the thread of which encircles the legs of the loops of the ground thread.

It will be appreciated that as shown in Figures 10 to 21, the needles I and 2, sinkers 3, knocking over bits 4 and the presser 5 are all actuated in a suitable manner to assist in the formation of the locked loops; the desired motions are effected by mechanism now to be described with particular reference to Figures 1 to 9 and 26. Referring firstly to the needles it should be explained that the motions of both sets of needles to and from the presser are effected through a common mechanism, but a separate mechanism is provided for the up and down motions of each set. For this purpose the needle bar 200 (Figures 4, 5 and 26) is provided with a pair of vertical guideways 202 for the reception of a pair of slide nmembers 20 the' positio imandingi ands-pressing:positionsfshowmin Figure .-;"1-1; ;the;;-:positionse2l0 and: 2l-l3awtoaw2 l also .5601- providedazenirthe z'otheroneeiilerlaar 2(1l xo-The: wo nbairseiaree showne'separately oin :isliigure 4rand4 3rand tare showriinertheirroperating screws'1er205xi-(Figure :26).iziForeltheypurposee ch nimpartin ertical motion?!toothe'meedleziban320l ;.i. he'ssaidimansis providediatu'litsrflowemendiwith u-za pair::of:irearrvardlmzextefrding zbifurcated ilugs 2llfirwhic embrace squaredaispindleszi201=ireely hemearixends 2118 bfiarmsc2-091fixed :nro-tatable .1 ,a, :shaft. 05

l so'i fixedzrto itzarro-cker armdll zhaving a truck vat-E its-zriowereenduandrithis itruckobearscpn. a

; din: Figure 9'1which Mill'be rreferred to': hereinafter) 'econstitutesi; wdoublel-spurposeiscamzraccordingti to ethisinvention in whichctherupper portion' thereof l sand-;Figure 9:3601': camscBstoeGiiand cam-: J rihas u'quence ofaknitting; motions illustrated in' Figures 1 0+ to l- :and eitSrrlOWEl peripheryi-ishaped .toeproir duceethe se uence of "locking emotions illustrated, :Eigures i i to" 2 l .j' lNlorexspecificallywreferring otoncam Awthe rhighest rpoint i 2 l2zi'ofiithe upper a *rhalf of: the camxcorresponds to'zthefiknocking lover ii-DQ 1 OI1 5.Ofith needles aligshowmin liligureflzsand respond to the-Figures 1:1 O-andv: 13 to 15; .thezpoe-sition216 :corresponds to the second, landing-rand r pressing-motion shpwmimiliguredfii thefpo'si-tion- 218 -cor-respondsrito= Figure -18-i and: is lithe second knocking over: position-,randtthes final pressing and knockingmover epositionse are indicated sate i l 9 and -22, hl-corresponding'to Figuresr19-and521.

.-=-.both sets otmeed-les-lim ai-directionwlto :and-afrom ethewpresser, thezeneedle barflflllrhas fixed-etc. it an-arma| leto lthe lowenend ofwhich: is rpivotally connected-a handclever 3fl2;ftthisrhand=-alever is fOrm6dwWithd1Ot0heS 3o3zconoperatingkwith ai peg 5 e3 04? proj ectingrilaterallyy:frorrr' arr armb Erfixed to aa shafta306 and .a-lsowfixedmtd1ther$shaft 306 there :is: avtruck. arm.- a-iwhich marries-a aI-etruok I ==-co-.operating withra l cam "Bsfixede on; the :main

. scam -shaft..Z. T-EThiSmCamaBiEiS suitably ;:shaped: to;

(deflect; the desired ;-motions-a;nd {in thermaimit is provided.- withthigh;points:.at 34 hand 3; il'corresponding .tor the. pressing; and iknock'ings'royer positions showndnrFigures 1'1 ,.a1nd 12 respectively is andtalso high positions-3 Iii-.1319 and? 32 IQJCOIIBm; ;sponding to :Figures .l6,a:.19 and 21;:respectively a: which. aregthe;fi nalipnessing ande-lmock ov positions. 7 I

Fonsthe purposei fofz imparting:-lverticalvmotion L to-the. needle bar 200 the;said;baris%pivotally con-e I lnected'; at :its. lower endito" a. airtofl rocking arms .--a truck, arm. 30'!"' which isrkeyedrtoithe rocker-arms l 2..by a e-key; 308-.--(-Figure 26)? andawh-iichecarriesa I I; omthezcam-zcorrespondsz't ahe d emanates :rrtrolledain parttcbyrrasthe *mustomary .:;catch;-.:bar mechanism" (Figures 1,.1 21:". andizfi) :zzconsistingr: of :..arms IL] 9.:arid 20 iconnectedrby links 2| andt22 to'truckfiarms; 231-21161 having trucks 25 311G326 engaging with scams .DI and" E. 1 These cams are suitably: shaped .a'and. .the main positions are: indicated: by: reference; numerals 1 l0; 112,115, 1 l 6, 7H1; andj72l. corresponding to .the respective ,7 Figures 10,:,.12, 15,,=;16, 17,521. Thesinkers'rare iadvancedzby slurcocks in a manner more fully U described. hereinafter. A hand lever 222 is also :.-providedfor the catch barimechanism. .Knockingnover bits 4 (Figures 1, 2and '7) are actuated through arms:21,'r223' connecting them to truck .z'arms 28,1 224 having trucks 29,30 controlled (by :cams 'F,.'G; .themain positions on these 1 cams .xarezagain indicated by reference numerals. 5| I, 5I2, 5|! and 52liand thesepositions correspond to .the' respective Figures 11, 12, 17 and 21. There "is. also provided (Figures 1, 2'and 8) atruck 3| "carried'by: a: truck arm 225' for controlling through? cam Kthe jack-springs 32- associated with jacks 33.."In2 addition there is provided quality control mechanism 34 and 35 (see Figures Land 2)" one for the ground loops and the other for the locking loops. Each mechanism consists of a quality cam H, I, acting ona truck 36, 31 which is' carried'aby a'truck arm 38,39'and the truck'arm is fixed on a control shaft I00 to whichistalsofixed an arm HH; bearing on a rodl03. This rod has fixed to'it an extension 226'ofthe needlebar raising lever 9 so that movement "of the needle bar. is limitedby. the quality cam H, I. Adjusting-means l05, l06'=is also ":provided.'The auxiliary presser 5' '(Figures 1, 2 "and 9):hastherequisite motion imparted to it by a cam J acting on atruck 22'! which is carried by a truck arm 228, this truck arm228 being in turn connected by links 229' to a rocking arm 0 230 arranged to rock a rock shaft" 23! to which the presser is fixed. The cam J is provided with a low part 6l3,"6l4 corresponding'to Figures 13, '14.

'If it is desired at any time to knit plain fabric,

5 e. g; for the welt of a stockingthis is readily accomplished by additional cams (indicated in .broken lines and 'by referencesPl :to Pl inFigure 2) associated with the cams A to I- and onto which thetrucks may be shoggedfthese addi- O tional cams'are 'shaped to produce two successive plain stitch motions corresponding to Figures 10 to 12 and in themain for this purpose the lower 1 :halves of the additional cams will be the same as Ztheupper halves thereof as indicated-in broken :lin'esin Figures 2 and 3 to '7.

If it'is desired 'tocontinue employing the double s1: drawsmechanism and two main carriers when i'making plain fabric, either the cam shaft" Z is shogged or the appropriate trucks are shogged t0 bring-the appropriate plainearns Pl 'to PM into action. Additionally,-instead 'of'utilising both the carriers I56 and 158- (referred to-hereafter), 'itis' preferred" toidlethe locking carrier and to introduce a new main carrier in its place. For this purpose a third carrier mates (Figures 1, i 2, 22; 22Aia-nd-carrier'66l is provided, therod 409 being 'reciprocated in'the'same manner as' the .i-bars' 150, l5l ;"this carrierllll together with the -locking"carrier i56 ori58 are each arranged to be" rendered operative or idle-at theappropriate time by any suitable means such as a handoperated "selecting catch or thelike -indicated at 402 which is fixed to the machine frame and is l Larrarrged'.:torbei'leou'pled to or disconnected from rand21 a-respectively. u'I he sinkersiz= 3izaress'con-g wethet-fcarrier 54M :-.to:prevent or permit movement thereof as and when desired. If desired, the' main carrier employed for locked fabric may be also idled (by similar means to that above described) when making plain fabric and a fourth carrier (with associated rod and selecting catch or the like) may be employed in its stead.

Alternatively, if it is desired'only 'to employ one carrier and a single draw for plain fabric, the cam shaft Z (or the appropriate trucks) is shogged as before and the locking carrier is idled by the means above referred to. Additionally either the bolt 56 or 50 (hereinafter referred to) is rendered inoperative by any suitable means; for example the appropriate bolt is withdrawn out of the path of the blocks 54, 54 and a hand operated catch or the like indicated at 463 in Figures 1, 2, 22 to 25 is employed to maintain the 1 bolt 56 or 56 in its retracted position.

It is to be understood that whereas only hand operated mechanism has been referred to for selecting the carriers and the bolts, these operations may be readily carried out in a semi-automatic or completely automatic manner by any suitable type of selecting mechanism operated e. g. from the main pattern chain of the machine.

Fashioning cams shown in broken lines at F! to PM are also preferably provided, one associated with each cam A to K and onto which the trucks may be shogged (or which are moved by the trucks shagging the cam shaft) to permit Coulier-or draw mechanisms 40, 4| moving in opposite directions through the intermediary of bevel gearing 42, and the construction of each draw mechanism may follow known lines and may for example consist of a draw lever 43, 44 swung to and'fro by a draw cam 45, 46. Each draw lever is connected to a. driver 41, 48 and mechanism indicated by the reference numerals 41a, 48a is provided for connecting and disconnecting these drivers 41, 38 to and from a tie bar 49 carrying the .slur cocks 49a, 49b. The said mechanisms 41a, 46b are substantially identical and for the purpose of description the mechanism 41a is shown in enlarged detail in Figures 24 and 25. Each mechanism incorporates a slidable bolt 50, 50, carried by the driver 41, 48. This bolt is bia'ssed by springs 5|, 5| into a projected attitude whereat a ball bearing truck 52, 52' carried by it is located in the path of a cleft 53, 53 formed in a block 54, 54. The operation in brief (and described more fully later on) is that block 54, 54' is carried by the tie bar 49 in such manner that when the tie bar is traversed say to the left into the position shown in Figure 24 and the bolt 50 is projected the truck 52 rides along a ramp 55 carried by the block 54 to guide the truck into the cleft 53. Similarly when the tie bar travels to the right and the bolt 54' is projected the truck fashioning to be carried out in customary manner.

Additional cams PM are provided controlling customaryfashioning points through the intermediary of customary mechanism.

Each truck may be moved onto any one of the.

three cams associated With it by any suitable means such as by shogging rods controlled by the customary main pattern chain. Alternatively, the cam shaft may be shogged into any one of three alternative positions by any suitable means such as by providing a cam on the cam shaft which is laterally stepped on both faces and has a truck engaging each face, the arrangement being such that the trucks are controlled by the customary pattern chain to engage appropriate steps of the cam so as to shog the cam shaft for the appropriate distance in either direction. The aforesaid shogging mechanism is of the type known in the art and needs no further description or illustration herein.

In the machine illustrated (and later to be described more fully) the slur cock tie bar is provided with slur cocks which are spaced apart by an amount at least equal to the width of the division so that only one slur cock operates on the jacks at a time. The arrangement of the machine is such that this tie bar is capable of at least twice the normal traverse thereby permitting it to be traversed in either direction firstly by an amount sufficient to cause one slur cock to operate all the jacks and subsequently by a like amount suificientto cause a following slur cock to operate all the jacks. Thereafter; of course, the slur cock tie bar is given a like two-stage movement in the opposite direction. purpose of illustration, the machine shown is a single division machine and consequently only two slur cocks 49a, 49b are provided. In the case of a multi-division machine there is :one more slur cock than there are divisions and these slur cocks are spaced apart by an amount equal to the distance between the centres of successive divisions as indicated in Figure 27.

Referring again to the drawings and particularly to Figures 22 to25 there are providedtwo For the- 52 rides along a ramp 55 (which is oppositely directed to the ramp 55) to guide the truck into the cleft 53'. Means are provided for moving the bolts 50, 50' out of the path of the clefts 53, 53' at appropriate. times and said means preferably consists of cams 66, 66' fixed on a cam bar 61 which is shogged periodically first in one direction and then in another. The cams 66, 66 are arranged to withdraw the appropriate bolt 50, 50 by engagement of the cams with ball bearing trucks 50a, 501), one on each bolt. The cam bar may be shogged by an abutment on the tie bar striking a part of the cam bar at the end of each double'traverse or by a rotating cam, the speed of which is one quarter that of the main cam shaft. Preferably, however, as shown in the drawings, said means consists of hydraulic mechanism. This mechanism as shown in Figure 22 consists of a motor driven pump 16 for setting up pressure in a supply line 11 through a pressure gauge 18 to a hydraulic jack 19 through a two-way valve 6|]. From this valve there are two lines, one to each end of the jack and there is a valve rod 260 arranged by its endwise movement in opposite directions to open either one of these lines to the pressure in the pressure line. The valve rod 260 is actuated through the medium of a slidable rod 26! on which there are spaced abutments 6|, 62 and these abutments 6|, 62, are located in the path of an actuating member 63 carried by a block 64 fixed to the tie bar 49. The arrangement is such that at the end of each double traverse of the tie bar the rod 26l is shogged in opposite directions and the effect of this is forthe piston 262 of the jack 19 to be projected or retracted. The end of the' pisthat a complete cycle of movements is effected as follows: Assuming that both the slur cocks are located at the left hand end of the division,

MQMQQ witnathe cleft ta -fend the; ;boltson of, the--driver 48:;is;.disengagedfrom:the v cleft;53,' .by the cam 66 the {cam Q bar; is located towards the left,

hand end of the machine. For the next stage drivers i-move .-;towards each .other and ..because the-drivert- -4'l, only isrconnected tOs-the tie ba-n; by the bolt 50 .-the. [slur cocks move to the-right;

and etheleadi-ng slurycock .passes .across. the

vision of needles. At the; end ofthe draw. the truck 50a engages v:the.:cam..66 1 so that the bolt 5fl=is-withdrawn;.-the cam '66'-.-is .out, of the pathofthe. bolt 50! which therefore: ,automatically Subsequent movement ;of(

engages. the cleft 53'.

theadrivers in anwoutward direction ,results in.

the tie bar 49 moving a further distance to.,th e i right because now .onlythe'driver48 is con nected; to the tie barand therefore the trailing slur cock nowpasses acrossathe-division from left to right. At the endt ofpthis. traverse no.

change is madeto the bolts .50, 56. with theresultthat at the next. stage (iveswhen the drivers. move inwards) the driver-48 only .is operative by virtue-of its connection. with the tie bar and, therefore the tie bar "and sslur. cocks move .to

the-left. At .theend .of the;previous drawn-to,

the right, however,..the .contr ol rod is shogged to.

the right by the projection .63., the result being.

that the cam bar is. also .-,shogge,d tolthef right.

Therefore,, as..shown-in Figure 23,"at the end of the aforesaiddraw to the left the cam fifi'.

driver... .and thebolt 50. automatically -con.-;

(nects with l the driver 41; consequently for,. the

next. stage. the tiebar; andthe slur cocks move a further distance to the lefttoltheir original position; at this positionthe control rod .261 is; shogged. to the. leftso that the .partsare then suitably arranged for the cycle. of operations to be repeated.

In a,multiedivision.machine the first stag (oft movementresultsiin each slur cock (other .than thetrailing end. one) traversing over a division, andinthe second stage of movement each slur breaksnthei. connection .of, thevbolt .507. with the cockllother. than the leadingtend one) traverses over the next divisionqso. that each-divisionis;

val between. these .two, carrier traverses, during. which the .other motions of the knitting cycles t are eifected. Any suitablecarrierdriving mech anism may be providedifor produ'cingfthese car:

rier movements. It will be appreciatedhowever', I

thatthe ground thread for any divisiontraverses in each direction withlth'e slur cock. that forthe, time being is the leading-slur cock for that division.

In. one arrangement of carriers there are pro-.' vided twocarrier, bars I-.and .I5I (Figures 1,. 2

and22 and '23). These carrier bars are mounted to slide in spacedbrackets' I52 and they arere ciprocated .to andiro ,bya driving member I53,. part of which, engages in a-slot I54 in each guide f bar. and which is fixjedto -the. block. 64, fixed.;to, theatie. bar. 49." This tie barzis irecipr ocated to. theextentof .two.,draws toand fro and therefore theguide bars are, also reciprocated in. a. like. n r. One oftheSe guide bars has a thread.

guide I. I 56 connected: tov it through I, the medium ee e t i @159 it u h heme u r d i wilen 'downward1y. These; enlarged heads howve 10 of. a frictlon box I 51 of any convenient type and thesother guideban has athreadguided 56 co box I59. This box has pivotally connectedl 'to f' it a i. '--0 t h I 6 f chhavin 'ten lar edth adds.tarraneedt en a e t rbpri iea' mes e in hee s nfiv ed: detilts l hese det n s are-sprinelb se dqwriwardly the gpivoted catch levers I 60 ar spring masses & suehmann r: s to urge-th i z e need ee normally -rest. on the .upper surface of the ;g'uide, bar and they are arranged to,'co-;operatejatj'an j' propriatetimes. v-ithtrecesses I63respective1y', one' in each side, of theguide. bar and vatjsuitably spaced: intervals in. the length thereof.. In operjI-j ation; assuming that both. thread guides .I56ffand" I 5.8;:- are in abuttin engagement (at onele dhf their traverse) .with 'oneof thelbrackets I52',"on"el of the enlarged. heads .1 6 IE will. be .in engagement. i

with the de t'ent I62],associatedwithi thefsaidf bracket,- and the recess I 63 with which saijdjhead j' is arranged to co-operate. will be, situated appro imately-one needleldivision width away from'fthe' bracket and in a direction away from the division jj' over which the. thread guides. 56 and. f 8i intended to be traversed; When the carrier ba H are traversed across the needlendiyision thisjjre' sults ;in the thread guide ,I 5 6 being I carried; across the division WhileQtl'le. carrier I 58." remains he ld f by the detent I62. When, howevenj the thread guide I 56 reaches thejend of itstravel the recess" lfia becomes positionedj beneath the headf I 6| or the said. catch I 66." whereupon the catch; roclgs' 3 under. the influence of. its spring therebyreleasing j' it from engagement with the 'detent{ ISL? Upo further movement 10f the guidefbars therefore ji the same direction, the thread guide I 58 1s car ried across the division:whereas the' thread guide- I 56 is held stationary by one of the brackets [52x31 the pivoted catch I 6 I"which" has previouslyibeen idle" now engages the, detent 'I 62 "associated-with? thellast. mentioned bracketfi Therefore, when-the carrier bars reversetheir" direction of-travel the thread lide' I 58 is held stationary by the e saiddetent 162 while th thread guide- I 56 is traversed-' across the division and by" the time-this carrier s I 56'reaches .the end" of itsftravel the second rec'ess I 63in, the guide bar -I 50 becomes locate'd beneath the head-of the-lastmentioned-pivotedcateh- Iii-h thereby; permitting the catch to be released fron'i the detent I 62': the result is th'atforthe'remai-n-" ing trzwerseof thecarrier bars the threadguidda. I 56 remains stationary abutting against the-first; mentioned bracket I 52 -wh-ile"the t-hr ead guided 58- is traversed across the needle division by the carrierbar' I50."- In this manner it will be-seen -that the. thread guides I 56' and--I 58 are carriedacross the needle division one ;afte r the other -and;the carrier to be first moved-- from --oneend 'I:a1--the-- division to the other is the first-to be moved in the reverse direction. It is to be understood that the-particular carrier control 'describedabeve may be varied in many ways, for eXampIe there-maw be provided an additional 1 draw mechanism fore traversing the block l 64 :which for the saidpure posemaybe mounted onxa separateefrictio'nbans) and fixed to a separate tie bar. It is also toibeh understood that. the, invention is not --restri cted to the, provision of duplicate, draw. levers, draw; ams-a d ssqc eda i m a s ow nj h' drawings as A there may beprovided only one of; such .dra w. mechanisms; in" this event. there. maybeprovided suitablerneans such as racksand a; 

